


The Trajectory Altered

by IreNeko



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternative Universe - more like Alternative University, Armitage loves flowers aspecially Roses, Ben will be a TEAcher, F/M, Force Skype with real Skype, Luke lives wild, M/M, Secrets, Tea obsession, and trees blooming in spring, architecture obssesion, coffee shop AU, ecological problems, it's a world of books, near the stone walls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:21:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21737527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreNeko/pseuds/IreNeko
Summary: Rey just came to the place she always wanted to be her home.Ben lived here all his life and it is his home is a major way.The place is The University of Alderaan.There are many people and walls around, behind and between them.They are meant to be together, but they would think of it as an impossible thing.Maybe they will find someone who always alters the possibilities and learn to make their own way.Maybe they will find their way to each other.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Amilyn Holdo, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. One very long autumn day

When he stepped in the café, crowd blurred the space and air with light steady afternoon buzz. He went to the isles dim light. Fast, shortcut movement to get what he needs. Tea. After he’ll need something else: to leave. As fast as he can. Is teleportation an option? From this place of bad coffee and so much knowledge. But he won’t lost his time, the island is almost there, no one in front. In the mixture of streetlight and warm lamps two girls checked their large pads full of notes, lying upon the fat folder and two books. For a moment he stopped dead on his tracks, somewhat startled. Pages, filled with symbols and marker lines, hurried graphite additions, sticky notes everywhere, on the left side it was even a diagram… Girl moved a bit, her messy smooth hair closing the view. She was having a hard time. Ben blinked, moving again. The same moment little figure with big crossbody filled the air between him and the isle. «Hi,» sounded from the waiter and Ben almost crashed into the newcomer from behind, saying «Hi» in response. Clear soft «Hi» he also listened from above at the same time and then it was "Hey!" after he hurried "Thyme tea, no additions." Ben shifted a bit. Waiter chooses to move on with his order, watching the crowd of Asian students, who just fled in from the street, hungry for their iced drinks.

«One ninety five.»

Ben huffed out, lowering his gaze. It’s almost over. Calm down. The pair of almond bright eyes looked up at him, right in his own dark and stormy. The girl watched him for a moment, looked at the barista- he was busy pouring water in the cup. Her eyes returned on Ben. Then on the barista again. Then she said nothing.

«Your tea.»

Against moving out from the café , hurrying under the light autumn sun, Ben turned and moved further. Ridiculous. Why still to move that fast while he’s trying to stick around now. Why is he trying to stick around now? He grabbed cinnamon, spoiled his thyme tea, stirred it. Than he took a napkin. Took a calf, added it. Girl stood near the isle, waiting for her order. Shame. No heavy sugared bad coffee with whipped cream then. Ben already knew his tea was spoiled for nothing, she took her cup and left, following his own plan much better than he did. No one called her name over the café for she’ll take heavy sugared bad coffee with whipped cream.

____________

Chapter 1  
One very long autumn day

"Hey, my name is Rey."

Morning sun smeared its sheen lazily on the ceiling.

"I wrote you three days ago about the dorm room b71, can I... Hey! Sorry?!"

Man, sitting in front of her, stood up abruptly and turned CLOSED on the window of Dormitories Department. Then he shut the window closed, old, made of deeply brown wood, plate squeaked, taking its place.

Rey looked for a moment on the wall in front. The letters of ‘Dormitories Department’ dimly glimmered on that beautiful brown wood she loved so much.

"I’ll come after dinner," she said quietly, knowing somehow that one on the other side hears every sound from her.

____________

Finally, finally, finally she made it to the fresh air. Three stairs from departments semi-basement to the left hall in B-wing of the University main building. The building she always wanted to be her home. Felt it all as one. Funny thing, she never had her own place in this gigantic installation of a school. But she always had her tea.

Two minutes through the wing, one minute through the central hall, leave elevators on the right, turn left. She’s nineteen now, still doing these map instructions. Like she’s about to hide something somewhere in five upcoming minutes.

«Think this way and you’ll end up stuffing some garbage in the nearest hollow.»

Still, leaving elevators on the right, turn left. You’re in the Washer now. Big ring of a space, wide enough for all those people coming in, out, around and across to wash through. It’s Saturday, nine in the morning and all four food corners here already drowned in those who were starving. She always had her tea here. And on the 2nd floor. And on the stages. People kept washing around, heavy with all the books and worries they cared about its subjects.

Rey thought of second floor. Saturday, nine in the morning. Two giant halls, their ceilings flying double high. Now it’s almost dark there - four windows in four corners giving almost no light in comparison with all the space. Teachers cafeteria is there. Table on the right, diffused window light. Closed now. Closed and empty.

She took her place in the line to the nearest foodcorner. One off. Another. Another one, bearing his bacon and cheese sandwich.

"Oh, I’m in the hell, this is hell, I’ll never pass it!"

"Sheri…"

"I’m telling you! Don’t Sheri me! Even with all these," - girl shook her paper, it’s edge hitting Rey’s nose, "sorry! He’s just a REN fucker, one of those, who want you to walk straight and do your papers on established themes… I’m telling you, Kaydel…"

"I know, I know. But red one isn’t their worst, so, in some way, you are a bit of lucky, you know..."

"Ok, fine, I’m fucking lucky, but if you won’t help me with these," - folder she shook so passionately finally gave Rey a proper slap on the face, "Sorry! Hell... Let’s go out here, Kay!"

Rey smiled as two turned to make it out of the washer. If she’s lucky enough… If she’s lucky enough, she’ll be here, trying to get some food with her own folder less than in five months, when it will be snow, not leaves, falling out here. And again. And again. And again. Rey watched the line but saw only snow, it changed to the cherry blossoms, they morphed into red falling leaves again for them to...

"You are standing on my feet," came from behind.

He was vivid enough to catch him from any corner of this circle space. But here he stood, right in front of her eyes. Literally, one feet away. Rey tried to step back, but her back hit someones in the line.

"Sorry!" - she blushed slightly. Neither from embarrassment, nor from shyness. She just was pretty tough with personal space. And as much as she hated invasion, she hated to be the invader too. It was almost no chance to avoid both, standing in the line, though...

"No, no, we’re fine!", came the joyful answer. "I see you are really letting people to be at ease around you."

"I… What?"

Rey was about to turn back, but his words caught her. The words and the fact he prolonged this interaction.

"That girl with lecture notes," he waved a hand. "Some of the bitches around would yell at her in a blink of an eye, or at anyone, you just give them a chance!"

"Oh… Yes. I know that. But she was in retest horror, I think. I can relate. Also, this place, it makes me…" Rey waved a hand. Just like he did a moment before. She smiled. Some people can do that to others. You just open to them. Boy in a patchy glam coat smiled back widely, showing pearly white teeth just to print on some toothcare product.

"I feel ya. I was just alike. But, you know," - he lent a bit, making them stand even closer then before. His voice turned to be just a bit louder than a whisper. "Now I would tell you to run away from here."

His pocket, colored in bright blue, lit up and vibrated. Boy gasped, grabbing his phone fast enough to work in 911, while Rey stood with wide eyes. She never met someone to love this place her way, but everyone at least found it to be a thing of prestige to…

"What would you like?" salesgirl asked her loudly.

"Oh, yes, make me your herbal one, please! Are you still adding cinnamon?"

"Yes, but," girl hadn’t a chance to finish for the boy caught Rey’s hand and almost crashed her palm, hurrying, "Hey, hey, my boy just called, I really need to be there 10 minutes ago, they’d kill me if I’ll come empty, so…"

"So you could wait your order or ‘run away from here’. Anyway you stop holding my hand."

He looked at her for a moment when she snapped, "I never give up my tea here. And I thought you aren’t like most ‘of the bitches around’. " Rey turned to find salesgirl looking at them with silent fury and empty cup in her hand.

"Can I have my tea? Herbal with cinnamon."

"But we aren’t doing tea anymore.. I can add your cinnamon in the coffee."

Rey huffed out the air she never knew she was holding. It was the only one in washer that made tea before. Ok, then. She turned, heading to the main entrance. 

Words hit her in the back, air nonchalant and crowd oblivious between them. She didn't stop. 

"And I thought you aren’t a bitch at all. Ask Finn in the RES labs, when they show you it’s only nice decoration of a building here."

____________

She walked away through the central corridor. Turned right to the empty cloakroom. In front of a wide mirror under the long heavy peace of marble - the bench - she found her crossbody, fishing it away in one long practiced movement. Her reflection moved with girl walking to the rolling doors of a main building on the dark labradorite floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is my very first multichapter wrighting english-first, first ff in years and first published tribute to the SW Sequels
> 
> Feedback is soo apriciated!
> 
> I'll try to update weekly, keeping this text strong)


	2. Warrior with no war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dinnertime is close, sometimes time pacing fast, sometimes it's slowing down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First 3 chapters here are covering one day, but the timeline is a bit of tricky)  
> Not too much, tho
> 
> Please, do share your thoughts, I'll appreciate it greatly

Ben always loved that sound.

After the dinnertime he always waited for it. The door squinting one last time, its hinges grinding a little, when there’s nowhere to open more, _creak_ , _fshhhhh_ … _dzing_. _Plop_. _Quiet_. 

From his place Ben couldn’t see the door, so he loves to listen. Now it’s almost an hour with only _shhhhh_ of the cloth on the table wood. And maybe even pages rustling.

_Squint_.

Ben turned around, his back to the door.

_Creak_.

He moved to the brewing machine, easing steam pipe away. 

_Fshhhhh_.

_Dzing_.

His neck relaxed, muscles letting daily tension go. 

Empty space felt calm and warm around, big helicopter of a fan turning its vanes high on the ceiling.

_Plop_.

_Quiet_.

For his long easy inhale Ben only missed one thing.

The door cracked open, letting the fresh air in. 

«Hey?»

________

When Rey reached the Library area her tea was almost over. It warmed her insides, though it wasn’t weathering today. She felt calm and settled. And sharp. All she needs in all her mess. If she could add a cinnamon… An image of tall figure near the isles corner filled the air between her and Library building. It flashed out as fast as appeared. Suddenly her calm and settled felt shifting. 

She breathed in.

Inhaled more air.

It filled her lungs with oxygen flying effortlessly in. 

________

Poe entered the space, as always, with a loud «Yo!»

Ben huffed out, for it was what it was - something between 9 or 10 in the morning and he wasn’t quite in a chatting mood. He was busy, placing masala spices on the shelf. He needs to restore, so much out of place yet, yeah, not a best time for a chat, but it’s not that he could avoid it, now, when… 

«Last summer day and you are already wearing your treademark grumpy ass mood, seriously, why didn’t you accept their invitation to punish all the students around, you are perfect just as you are!»

… your best friend is here. 

«What?»

«What?! You tell me _wh_ _at_.»

Poe huffed last word out with unessentially low voice, mocking. 

«First of all. That joke could be rated as your worst. Second, we need to restore, things I brought from continent will evaporate like steam from this pipe if we’ll use them as our basics. So. You’re in charge for the next two hours, I’ll take dinnertime and evening.»

«Yes, sir! Any other orders, sir?»

Poe already moved to the shelfs, taking his apron and putting flowers: ranunculus and magnolia twigs on the table. 

«Do not take my teas out to the shelf yet.»

Ben took his worn out black hoodie and walked to the front door, reaching to its handle.

«Ben!»

He stopped, the door being slightly open already. 

«It’s not the thing I wanted to say. We all know you are the best one to be there. Don’t be so sour.» 

«Nah. We choose this. And I’m happy with this way of things for now. You know that.»

Ben stilled, looking at the handle in his hand. 

«I don’t feel like it’s summer out here. Everything seems autumn. Everyone came here. Everyone has their schedule filled to the brim with knowledge.»

He started with the most intimate tone of his, tone for a few, ending with a sarcastic one. One everyone knowing Ben Solo was all too familiar with. Than he finally went out.

________

Rey reached the Library’s door, moving in.

It wasn’t a long walk - making it to the room full of shelves - no map instructions needed. Still, here she did her very first one. «Third shelf from the back, window wall. ‘V’ section , book with red cover, page 43.» 

It was quiet. Always quiet. Woman, sitting behind the check desk, turned as Rey made her entrance with easy, quiet steps. She nodded, instantly turning back, where the monitor sheen, but those seconds were enough, Rey recognised her. How could she forget? Or maybe how could she still remember… 

On the right side of the first room colorful corner was prepared for children. It was new, but no red leaves or school symbolic, according to the season. Instead, it was designed with big installation of the Earth: movable plants, animals, melting icebergs, little woolen bees on paper made flowers and piles of plastic trash on it. 

_Ecology week._

_Know nature is not weak._

Yellow and green banner was hanging above the corner.Rey set near the little table and took one of the books. «Bees: a honeyed history» was written on sunny cover of a book filled with blooming trees, herbs, honey and honey-making for children to see: sometimes little parts of nature are managing something great. 

  
«Looking for the children's book?» asked little women in a dark blue woolen dress, carrying few books from the next room. 

«No. Thank you.»

She stood up, putting book back on the little coaster. It’s not reaching to read this as a good omen.

Rey moved further, letting the corridor of bookshelves to devour her.

________

Star anise, black pepper gunpowder…

Ben moved in this meditation, spices, little paper packs, few colored metal boxes and few carved wooden ones all around him. He filled little jar with paper slim pieces of dried lemon. 

«You better watch out. Whatever you say it’s not autumn yet or everyone around would know, who’s the real traitor.»

Poe decided to stay until dinnertime over, convinced with Ben restoring he’ll need a pair of hands to manage early birds. Campus never dyed out on summer, but one day before September it wasn’t an easy task to tell difference. 

«It’s not even dinner yet. What are you about?»

«This.»

Poes finger stuck stiffly in the air as if there was an evidence of scandalous crime. On the dark surface, aside of all mess, stood white paper cup, shining proudly. 

«Oh…»

«It’s not signed tho. Tell me you found it on the road and there was no trashcan around?»

«They aren’t signing teacups.»

«Shame.»

«Yes… Shame.»

«It’s a coffee-tea racism, you know.»

Ben continued sorting and ordering, his meditative stance shattered. Poe took one of the paper envelopes with red ribbon around, little cut of hard paper tied on it. Paper was marked with two Japanese kanji symbols.

«So... Not enough tea here?»

Poe Dameron had a big heart and a broad smile, his life contained not one or two desires, his mind shined bright with ideas, but one of the most endearing things on Earth for Poe Dameron was teasing Benjamin Solo. Double success if teasing led to making Ben blush. 

«I was heading back here... Din gave proper amount of beans and spices were good today, but than I changed...» 

Somehow, this time it was double success.

«...my mind. »

Ben seemed almost nonchalant, managing ginger powder into the small raw porcelain cup. But Poe knew better.

«I won't use these» - Ben gave a wave to packs on the large isle - «and especially those» - his hand went to the arch entrance behind the counter, where glimmered honey-bead curtain. 

«It's four guests. And for us, when we are here. When all of us here.»

«About that. He texted me lately, he won't come out for lunch - retests are wild today.»

«Hm... Better he'd avoid canteens today, most of them are closed.»

Poe fist pumped little teapack in the air.

«Come to us, we’ll make you something good! Even if it’s called … Ben, actually, what is this? I’m still not fluent in ancient languages.»

«It’s just sencha and it’s not ancient.»

Ben flashed an unnerved glance at Poe, who found a new envelope and now looked at Ben with a grin.

«Put that down. It’s _Mountain in the Mist_ and it’s pretty rare.»

«Purest Ben Solo - notinajokingmood Ben Solo. Hey, boy. I’m out, will finish flowers later, dinnertime on you!»

And like that Dameron fled out.

_______

Rey stood near the window, looking at two similar books in different covers: an old one edition and the new. _‘A Sand County Almanac’_ was it’s name and it was a name what caught her eye at first. At second the book wasn’t reserved for ones with the University card only. Fairly, almost none in ecology section were.

A lithe, worn out paper fled out from the older book, like a fallen leaf swishing through the air. It land near her boot. Rey took the paper. Someone reading this one ages ago forgot it between the pages. «Sand» was written on the paper. Rather thoughtfully. Though she couldn’t throw it away. How many paper sheets, scraps and notes she left in books herself, like a wave of a hand, like an allowed mark of her presence, though she never left marks on the pages itself. Almost never. She tucked paper in the book and tucked the book under her arm. She will take this edition.

And, because it was a day of waiting, two ladies stood near the check desk. 

«You know, one more year and it's all over. We'll think of heading to the country. You know, my sister lives at the Oakwood, I could write my things there.»

«Lovely! Though, I couldn't leave this for the beach-house. All this crowd, city, alive in any hour. Sometimes I just need to walk out and get some coffee and look at the street. And said coffee must be brewed by someone else. And at the street must be some people, walking…»

«Oh, Jen!»

«What?»

«There is a place you need!»

«We have them all around here!» laughed Jen, young woman with airy curls of blonde hair, waiting for the librarian to recharge her card - red one of the prime account. 

«No! This one is something special! You need to look at it. It’s on the other side of the street. Just 10 minutes from here, in that long Professories building. He does such a coffee! I never could tell the name for it, but it’s always something special. And he adds spices, chocolate, oh, its… magic!»

«He?»

«Yes!A man, owner. Tall, dark-haired, handsome. Oh, Jan… He’s owner, barista. I found it at spring - he only opened in March. I think he must be here already - made a trip for new teas, I checked at summer, it was closed.»

«Wow. Let’s have a drink then. Tomorrow, after Lab?»

_______ _______ 

Rey went out of a Library, looking at the blue endless of sky, flying upon the roofs on the other side of three-lined University street. Wind wave rushed through the trees behind her back, those what grew near the library's wall. It was already a dinnertime. 

She reached the place pretty fast, book still under her arm. 

And came in, bringing rock and air of sunny spaces.

Tall man with lush black hair stood near the isle.


End file.
